Senator Derrick Simmons’ Statement on Western Line School District suspending football players for refusing to stand for national anthem.

Senator Derrick Simmons’ Statement on Western Line School District

Response to O’Bannon high school football players exercising

their First Amendment Rights

I am totally outraged that these students have been suspended for exercising their right to peacefully protest their beliefs and make a statement through a gesture that has long been practiced in many sports across this country.

I am appalled that these teenagers who give so much of themselves to entertain us by playing football and achieving their dreams have been violated by school administrators who apparently agree with the racist mentality of our president, who created this issue for reasons unknown and has so little respect for certain segments of our country that he publicly called a black athlete a “son of a …..”, and suggested that black players who kneel for the anthem be fired from the team.

These young boys were suspended for supposedly violating “an unwritten policy.”

This is truly shameful behavior on behalf of public school officials.Please view the media gallery for photograph

Please call me at 601-359-3221 or
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if I can be of assistance. Please know that I am always looking to improve our district and our state and your input is valuable.